“Change of circumstances,” she admitted. “I’ll tell you the rest of it after I’ve washed the blood off. But it’s nothing terrible, I promise.”
Which meant Ryan could relax a little, because the one thing Madison had never done was lie to him. So, whatever weird bullshit had happened to send her back into his world out of the blue, it wasn’t dire.
Which meant he could focus on driving the short distance to his home on the outskirts of Heart Falls.
Madison Joy. His best friend throughout junior high and high school. Heck, his best friend for the first couple of years of college before she’d had to leave school suddenly. She was the one who introduced him to his wife, Justina.
Madison might not have been around much for the last ten years, but they’d kept in touch off and on. Having her back seemed strangely right.
Ryan pulled into his driveway.
She leaned forward to look up at the mostly dark outline of his home. “Cute place, far as I can see.”
He parked the truck in front of the garage and gestured toward the entrance. “Come on. Let’s check out the damage so you can get washed up.”
2
Ryan led her into a very tidy kitchen area with a small island across from the stove, and the window over the sink looked out over darkness. A few steps to the right, four chairs were pushed in around a small wooden table, and the entire kitchen was a blur of honey-coloured wood.
He paused at the sink, soaking a cloth before handing it to her. “Here. That should feel good before I start poking to confirm the rest of you is only bent, not broken.”
She groaned as the heat from the soft cloth set her nerve endings tingling. “Not good, fantastic.”
He gave her a moment to clean up. Once she’d use the cloth a half dozen times, squeezing it clean between each round, Ryan gave her a quick and efficient once-over. He manipulated her fingers, shoulders, and arms then checked her legs and hips without once cracking a smile. His focused examination gave her time to look him over and once again gawk at how gloriously well put together he was.
Having him as a best friend for all those years had been like getting to hang around with a movie star. Girls watched him, staring or flirting madly if they got the opportunity. Madison didn’t blame them one bit.
His dark hair was just a little longer than she remembered, the blue-black strands curling slightly behind his ears. His dark-brown eyes focused intently as he checked her pupils, the flashlight in his hand making her eyes water until she had to blink.
“Thanks. Now I’m seeing stars,” Madison said in mock complaint.
“You might be seeing stars through two black eyes by the morning,” he warned. “But your nose isn’t broken, and neither is your wrist.”
He pulled off his sweater, draping it over the back of the kitchen chair beside him. He moved to roll up his shirt sleeves, and Madison paused in the middle of wiping the final bit of blood from the back of her wrists with the warm washcloth.
His forearms moved in a mesmerizing dance, the muscles underneath rippling under firm copper-brown skin. In spite of the pain still drifting through various parts of her, the sight of those forearms was better than any medication.
“I’m going to check your ribs,” Ryan warned, stepping behind her. “You okay with that?”
She tossed the washcloth into the sink then stretched her arms to the sides. “Do your worst.”
“Tell me if anything hurts.” He placed both hands on her hips. Slowly, he worked his way up, pressing gently as he moved over her waist, the base of her ribs, then higher.
His thumbs brushed the underside of her arm, and she fought to keep from wiggling.
Ryan froze. “Did that hurt?”
“Ticklish,” she said in a rush. She wasn’t going to mention the fact that she was on fire because his hands were on her. She wasn’t that starved for touch—
Who was she kidding? It’d been so long since anyone else had touched her other than platonic family hugs.
Ryan was a wall of heat behind her, one hand on the front of her rib cage, the other on her back. “Take a deep breath,” he ordered.
She breathed in, and he applied pressure. The twinges of pain were there but nowhere near worrisome.
“The ribs are fine,” she said. “What I feel are damaged muscles. Definitely bruised.”
“One more check.”
He adjusted position to test her other side, but Madison was happy to offer the same report. “Ribs are good. But I bet we can play connect-the-dots with my bruises in a day or two and discover whole new constellations.”
“I’ve got arnica cream somewhere,” he promised. “Okay, you’re clear to get washed up. Come on. You’ll feel better once the blood is gone.”
They moved too quickly for her to be able to admire the rest of the house, but the bathroom he guided her to had more than enough going for it. Ryan pointed to the cupboard on the opposite side of the space.
“Extra supplies are in there. You’ll find a toothbrush and whatever else you need. Oh, and wait a second.” He left the room but was back before she’d had time to do more than turn on the water in the shower to let it start heating. He laid a pile of clothes beside the sink then offered a grin. “We’ll get the rest of your stuff later, but for now, this will do.”
“Thank you,” she said earnestly. “For everything. This wasn’t the grand entrance I was hoping to make.”
“Friends are always welcome,” Ryan assured her. “And old friends are especially good to see, grand entrance or not.” He gestured toward the shower where steam was starting to billow. “Enjoy yourself. I’ll get some food ready for when you’re done, and we can get caught up.”
Madison stood under the scalding hot water and let it pour over her face. Her nose throbbed in a dull beat, and she agreed she’d probably have at least a hint of black eyes, but otherwise she was pretty much unscathed.
She might not have gotten off scot-free, but all things considered, she was grateful to have been so lucky.
And now, here she was. Invading on Ryan, with all sorts of thoughts running through her brain. Thoughts she didn’t know if she had the right to have.
He was even more attractive than she remembered.
Distracting herself with shampoo and soap, Madison scrubbed herself clean before buffing dry in the sinfully soft towel Ryan had laid out for her.
The clothing he’d left included a tank top as well as a button-down shirt and a pair of sweatpants she had to roll up at the ankles a couple of times so she wouldn’t trip over them.
A quick glance in the mirror as she dragged a comb through her hair said the damages were less than expected. Her nose was only a third beyond its normal size. There were no other bruises on her face, although some were already rising on her chest, especially where the seat belt had crossed her body.
The smell of something salty and savoury dragged her from the bathroom and back into the kitchen. “Oh, God. Did you make ramen?”
Ryan grinned at her over his shoulder, ladling broth into two bowls. “What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t make your favourite meal?”
“One who wasn’t expecting said friend to literally drop in.” She joined him at the table that was already set for two. “Thank you.”
At her side, Ryan dipped his chin, and then they both fell quiet for a moment, the flavourful broth taking all of her attention. She was more than halfway done before realizing she’d been snarfing down the food like one of her teenage brothers.
Ryan’s eyes danced with amusement when she met his stare and offered a gentle, “Oops?”
He lifted noodles even as he assured her, “I’m just as hungry. And soup is nice when you’re cold inside.”
“Thank you for rescuing me,” she said sincerely. “I’m very glad you just happened to be on that stretch of highway.”
Ryan waved a hand. “I’m very glad your rescue involved not much more than a quick walk down a hill and a hot shower.” He checked his
watch. “You know, it’s early enough that we might be able to get your stuff out of the ditch tonight.”
“That would be handy. It’s not that I’m worried about anything valuable going missing, but it would be nice to have my things.” She remembered something else. “Are you sure about me staying here tonight?”
“Tonight and longer if you want. I’ve got the room.” Ryan paused for a moment. “You need to—”
“I should cancel my motel,” Madison said at the same moment, and they smiled at each other. “Great minds think alike?”
“Looks that way. You have your phone?”
“Yep. Just give me a minute.” She pulled it out and hit a few buttons. “It’s late, so I’ll probably pay for tonight, but at least this way they won’t be expecting me to show up.”
Ryan rose to grab more broth for them while Madison chatted with the woman at the motel. By the time he had their bowls topped up, she had a full refund and a laugh to share.
She pointed a finger at him. “So. Tell me about your dating life.”
He stopped in the middle of swallowing a noodle, choking slightly before he could speak again. “Excuse me?”
From the innocent look of shock on his face, it was clearly high school and college all over again. The man had no idea exactly how attractive he was.
Madison leaned back in her chair and grinned. “Darla down at the Heart Falls motel said there was no problem making the cancellation, but could I please be sure to tell Ryan that she had soooo much fun at the square dance last month.”
Ryan mouthed the name, confusion folding his firm brow. “No idea who that—oh. Oh, her.”
“The mystery thickens.” Madison wanted to know everything that had been going on in her friend’s life. Which she had assumed, after all these years, probably involved some special woman. “From that response, I assume she’s not someone you’re seeing regularly?”
Ryan raised a brow. “Oh, I see her regularly. My bar, Rough Cut, is a happening place for the singles in the Heart Falls area. Which means everyone from the hands at the local ranches, construction crews from the highway maintenance and the new oil fields to the south, and a whole lot of ladies—including a few in their late fifties and early sixties.”
“Ah, a little bit of Mrs. Robinson.”
He leaned forward on his elbows and made direct eye contact. “I make it a rule to not date anyone old enough to be my mother.”
Stomach filling with good food, her entire body warming up, Madison gave in to her curiosity and examined what she could see of the house.
The kitchen and dining area were flanked by a narrow hallway leading to the bedroom area and a living room with a couch and two easy chairs. A wide coffee table rested in the center of the comfortable space. The wall opposite the front door held a computer desk and two tall bookcases, one covered with framed pictures and the other books, magazines, and tidy storage containers.
Two cardboard boxes labelled Christmas decorations were stacked to one side. Probably getting ready to be put up.
She leapt back into the conversation. “I want to get caught up on everything, but we may as well keep this topic going. Are you dating?”
Ryan made a face. “Honestly? Not yet. But—” He stirred the few remaining noodles in his bowl with his chopsticks, staring into the broth. “Before I came across you in the ditch, I was down at the local cemetery. I go there when I want to have time to think. I just tonight decided I might be ready to try again.”
He said it with such reluctance that Madison couldn’t stop herself. She laid a hand on his arm. “Good for you. And you don’t need my permission, but I’ll say it anyway. I know how much you loved Justina, but I’m pretty sure she’d want this for you.”
An enormous sigh escaped him. “I still miss her.”
“Of course, you do,” Madison said sincerely. “So do I, and I was only a friend. She was very special.”
Madison had done the mental math before she came out here. She’d been shocked to realize it had been nearly eight years since Ryan’s wife had died unexpectedly. A brain aneurysm had come out of the blue and taken her quickly.
For a moment, the two of them sat in silence before Ryan laid a hand on top of Madison’s and squeezed her knuckles. He offered a soft smile. “Sorry, that was a sobering way to kill a reconnection moment.”
Madison blew a raspberry at his apologetic tone. “Hotshot, it doesn’t matter that it’s been years since I saw you in person. We’re ride-or-die friends. Ride-or-die friends don’t ever apologize.”
* * *
It was easy to smile around Madison. Blunt, down to earth. Pretty much the same girl he’d met that first summer day when she climbed over the back fence between their yards and they promptly got into trouble.
Only, he had to roll his eyes. “Dear God, I have not heard that nickname in forever.”
“Hotshot?” Madison’s smile turned visibly evil. “Really? Nobody here knows what a wild man you are?”
Ryan straightened slightly, deliberately cool and collected. “I’ll have you know I’m a fine, upstanding member of the community. Member of the Chamber of Commerce, team leader for the Heart Falls volunteer fire department.”
“Bar owner.” She winked at him. “Not that I’ll give you any grief for that, but I bet some of the more conservative folk do a little pearl clutching when you’re around.”
“I’m also the co-chair of the local food bank. We took over from the local churches because they couldn’t get enough volunteers,” Ryan offered dryly. “We pretty much get along in this town. There are moments it’s pretty rustic, and there’re a lot of deals done with nothing more than a handshake and a nod. But the pace of life feels pretty good.”
Madison looked thoughtful for a moment then dipped her chin decisively. “Good for you. Sounds idyllic, and a great place to raise a kid.” Then her expression turned eager. “Tell me about Talia. She’s got to be so big now.”
“Growing so fast. She’s amazing. Ten, going on eleven in a few weeks. Grade four, so I can still manage to help with her homework.” Just the thought of his daughter triggered that spot in his heart filled with joy and trepidation. Everything he did was for her—to see her grow and bloom the way he and Justina had dreamed about since before Talia was born.
The idea of failing his daughter scared him even as it motivated him to try harder. Lately it was clear Talia trembled on the verge of changing from a little girl into a young woman, and there were so many potential potholes in the road ahead, he had no idea how he’d manage.
He hadn’t realized that he’d gotten lost in his thoughts until his bowl and chopsticks were pulled from his hand. Madison winked as she headed to the sink and started on dishes.
He joined her. “Sorry. I’m obviously out of practice at friend-talk time.”
“Well, let’s keep practicing so you can remember how this works.” Madison pushed him aside and stepped in front of the sink. “You know where things go. Dry and put them away.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She snickered as she got to work on the washing. “You’ve been in Heart Falls for five years?”
He thought back briefly. “Nearly seven. After Justina died, Talia and I moved in with my parents, remember? Once I graduated, I moved us all out here. There’s an attached in-law suite.”
Madison glanced over her shoulder, leaning the direction he pointed. “I’m so glad you have their help.”
“Me too. I couldn’t have survived otherwise. They aren’t there anymore, though.”
“What?” Maddy held onto the ceramic bowl she was passing him, concern rising in her green eyes. “They moved out? Last I heard, they were living with you. They’re still okay?”
“Yes. Dad’s got diabetes, though, and he needs extra monitoring on a regular basis. Mom never learned to drive, and as Dad’s eyesight has gotten worse, they decided it was better to live closer to the hospital and the doctor who treats him so they can bus or take a taxi to appointmen
ts.” Ryan shook his head. “I thought about moving with them to Black Diamond—it’s just over an hour from here—but Talia has good friends I didn’t want to take her away from. Plus, I have both the part-time firefighting and the bar…”
Sometimes he still thought he’d made the wrong decision, not being there for his parents the way he should be. But he simply couldn’t move Talia from the people she’d grown up with. Not after she’d already lost her mom so young.
Ryan took Maddy on a quick tour of the house, pausing to swing open the door on the far-right wall. The narrow passage held a washer/dryer, and a door on the other side was the connection between the main house and the suite. “My babysitter rents the in-law suite. Laura has a regular nine-to-five at the lawyer’s office, but with her on-site, she gets to sleep at home with the doors open the nights I’m on duty at the fire hall.”
“I expected you to say she’s here the evenings you’re at the bar,” Madison confessed.
It’d taken a lot of juggling to get things to this point, but so far it was working. “I work Rough Cut a few days, plus Friday and Saturday nights when Talia is at my parents’ for the weekend. I’m running on the principle that I might own the place, but I shouldn’t be indispensable. I’ve got a really good assistant manager I brought on a few months ago. Things are finally where if either one of my jobs has an emergency, I can jump in or not, depending on how things are set up with Talia.”
“Sounds like a balancing act you’re winning.”
It was tempting to leave it at that, but Ryan had to let her know. “I love running the bar, but you always told me to do what made me happy. And firefighting, being part of a team, does. So it’s been worth the effort to add that on.”
She paused, head tilted to the side. “I said that?”
“Many times. Until it echoed in my brain,” he offered dryly before tilting his head toward the hall. “Come on, finish poking around.”
Peeking into Talia’s room, Madison made an appropriately excited noise at the sight of the loft bed, but Ryan noticed the longer the tour went on, the closer he was being examined.
A Hero’s Christmas Hope: Holidays in Heart Falls: Book 3 Page 2